Don’t fly till your wings are feathered

Don’t fly till your wings are feathered.

Green-winged Teal

The Green-winged Teal (GWT, Anas carolinensis) is a common and widespread duck which breeds in the northern areas of North America except on the Aleutian Islands.

This dabbling duck is strongly migratory and winters far south of its breeding range. It is highly gregarious outside of the breeding season and will form large flocks. In flight, the fast, twisting flocks resemble waders.

Similar species:
Adult male unmistakable in winter. Females, immature and eclipse males similar to most female ducks, but are very small, short-billed, and have a distinctive wing pattern that is sometimes visible at rest.

The Green-winged Teal is the smallest North American dabbling duck.

It is a common duck of sheltered wetlands, such as taiga bogs. The Green-winged Teal usually feeds by dabbling for plant food or grazing. It nests on the ground, near water and under cover.